so i know a lot of parents post here and, for some reason, parents seem to know more than school staff about this issue.
my question is: who should i e-mail to protest school closures, and who should i send a letter to?
i’m in the teacher certification program at seattle u and my cohort members and i would really like to protest the closings of tt minor and meany (i know tt minor is in the CD but they are our friends and it’s close enough to radio point).
i saw the letter from the meany ptsa that was cross-posted to miller park blog & cdn but couldn’t find out WHO in seattle public schools i was supposed to address my complaint to.
we cannot, for the life of us, figure out who we are supposed to contact. everyone, even our teachers, have conflicting information.
who knows?
Update by jseattle 12/8/2008 at 9:58 AM
Here is the process set up by the school board. I would start with this — with friends and neighbors dragged with me. There will be press coverage and a fair amount of attention so it’s one way to get yourself heard. More ideas below.
In order to strengthen academic programs across Seattle
Public Schools and protect its long-term financial health, the
School District is now considering building closures. Public
hearings will be held at buildings proposed for closure from
6:30-8:30 p.m. on the days and locations below.Monday, Dec. 15, 2008
▪ T.T. Minor – 1700 E. Union St.
▪ Pinehurst – 11530 12th Ave. N.E.
▪ Van Asselt – 7201 Beacon Ave. S.
Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008
▪ Genesee Hill – 5012 S.W. Genesee St.
▪ Mann – 2410 E. Cherry St.
▪ Old Hay – 411 Boston St.
Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008
▪ Lowell – 1058 E. Mercer St.Public testimony will be limited to 3 minutes per speaker,
and should focus on the school building about which the
hearing is being held. To sign up to give testimony, please
call (206) 252-0042 or e-mail [email protected].For more information, visit www.seattleschools.org,
and select “Capacity Management.” Comments may be
e-mailed to [email protected], schoolboard@
seattleschools.org, or mailed to School Board,
P.O. Box 34165, MS 11-010, Seattle, WA, 98124-1165.
Try to form a group of friends and neighbors and give yourself a name like 13th Ave Friends of Lowell or somesuch. Write a short, cogent position. Put everybody’s name on it. Send. Repeat. And get one of your group to sign up to speak at the public hearings. You might also consider posting the letter here and asking people to sign on via the site.
School Board (each member’s page has their E-mail address):
http://www.seattleschools.org/area/board/index.dxml
Superintendent:
http://www.seattleschools.org/area/sup/index.dxml
E-mail [email protected]
thank you!
Do NOT just send an email or make a phone call or write a letter! Your child’s future is worth more than that, don’tcha think? Collective problems need a collective solution. Individual actions are ignored. Many many parents are angry about this. Many teachers are as well. Some of the more left-leaning teachers are organizing with parents to unite and stop school closures. ATTEND A MEETING of the school board or a local school closure and get in touch with other parents and teachers who want to fight these closures.
3 Classes the Seattle School District should take to understand why school closures will not lead to “Excellence for All”
Basic Math:
You don’t have to be a math teacher to see that the current school closure plan will not save anywhere near the amount of money the Seattle School District says it needs. By the District’s own figures, the proposed closings and the restructuring of Seattle Public Schools will only save between $300,000 and $600,000 for an elementary school, $400,000- $800,000 for a K-8, $600,000- $1.2 million for a middle school, and $1 million to $1.8 million for a high school. It couldn’t be more clear that closing of schools is not the solution to a $24 million budget shortfall.
Geography:
The last round of school closures drove families out of the Seattle School District. As a November 21, 2007 Seattle PI article pointed out, “A new district analysis shows that, of 732 students at closed schools, only about half of the students went to the schools to which they were assigned. Another 155 left the district.” With some 20% of the displaced families abandoning Seattle Public Schools in the last round of closures, the district lost money that the state pays per student enrolled.
Civics:
Under the Basic Education Act passed by Washington’s legislature in 1977, the state bears responsibility for fully funding K-12 education–but the level of funding for public schools has steadily declined ever since, with Washington State now ranking 42nd in per-pupil spending. According to the Washington State Parent Teacher Association (PTA), because “the formula for funding the act hasn’t changed substantially since 1977,” but basic educational needs have, “it doesn’t completely fund the Learning Assistance Program, school transportation, Special Education, and English Language Learners.”
With the State refusing to fund a 21st century definition of basic education, the Seattle School District, along with teachers, parents, and students, should stand united to demand the funding it is owed—rather than bow to budget shortfalls by closing schools and disrupting communities.
What’s Behind the School Closures?
The national election demonstrated that we have entered a new political era based on the hope for a new direction.
While a multitude of Seattleites helped to create this new era for change, it seems when it comes to our schools we are being told to stay the same failing course. Much as President George W. Bush called for “no child to be left behind” and then proceeded not fund his education act, the Seattle School District gives us the rhetoric of “Excellence for All” and then suggests we board up the very schools that have served as the heart and soul of our educational communities.
The case against closing schools is as easy as 1-2-3: 1—It won’t save anywhere near the amount of money needed to fund our schools; 2—It will disrupt families push more students out of the district and the money that goes with them; 3—the State has been sued for refusing to fund their mandated share of school budgets. We should stand united in demanding the funding we are owed.
If you want to get involved, contact my friend Vicky Jambor, a member of the Seattle teachers’ union:
Vicky Jambor, Teacher
Phone: 206-851-4862
E-mail: [email protected]
Sending an email is probably the LEAST effective mode of political action. It conveys no emotion, shows no solidarity, and does little except make the sender feel good.
Wow. Succinct and to the point.
Hey, here’s another good opportunity to learn more and meet others:
http://www.centraldistrictnews.com/2008/12/08/school-board-w
School Board Workshop, December 9, 2008
By joanna
While public testimony is not allowed at these workshops they can be very enlightening and helpful. These exchanges among the board members and staff definitely give incite on how the board is thinking and the questions and information that are important to them in coming to a final decision. Thus they can be very helpful to school advocates in structuring presentations and arguments. Anyone who can attend for even a portion of the meeting should.
School Board Workshop
December 9, 2008
Workshop re Capacity, School Closures
4:00pm
Location: Auditorium, Stanford CenterBoard Workshop: Capacity Management
4:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: Auditorium, Stanford Center
i do not have a child but i will keep that in mind…
i understand that people’s presence in numbers makes more of an impact than a letter or e-mail but basically i was looking for something that my class could collectively do together, being as we have no time to attend this week. not everyone can go to the meetings, especially people who are poor college students who have no money and need to work (or have class during that time because it’s finals week)
Writing letters and making phone calls does help in addition to going to meetings (personally 20 hours last week). If you feel passionate about one program it makes a difference to get multiple hits with Meany in the subject, or whatever your topic may be.
I know it’s hard to get to meetings – we’re all working full time too, as well as being parents. Thanks for your thoughtfulness.
SandyH
Hope that helps.
Vicki please consider writing your comments as an op-ed piece. They are excellent and concise.
I think it’s great that folks want to support T.T. Minor, but as a STAFF member I believe it’s best for kids to close the school. The principal is one of the worst administrators in the city. The staff is divided by racial tension and it’s horrible place to work. The district continues to make poor financial decisions, Goodlow-Johnson just got a new car to drive around the district. PATHETIC!
The district website has confusingly split the lists of hearings into separate webpages. This list was added AFTER the first one that’s mentioned below – it has meetings at MORE school buildings – so be sure to check for yours. We’ve been living the coverage of this whole thing for almost two weeks now (and the run-up for weeks before that) so details R us:
http://www.seattleschools.org/area/capacity/getinvolved.html
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